Welcome to our definitive guide to the types of gazebos you can erect in your backyard!

Gazebos are a great place to retreat to on hot summer days, as the open design allows the breeze to flow through and the roof provides plenty of cooling shade.

For this reason they are popular in warm and sunny climates as an outdoor entertaining area. Typically they are not attached to the house, instead standing alone in a large garden or backyard.

In addition to being freestanding, gazebos are typically roofed, although some may have the structure of a roof without any of the shingles.

The kinds of gazebos you’ll see most often are large enough to seat four to six people, although gazebos come in much larger sizes–some are large enough to serve as bandstands! Of course, most of us don’t have the kind of space in our backyards to install such a huge structure. For most people, gazebos will be an intimate and comfortable outdoor entertaining area away from the main patio.

Gazebos come in quite a variety of styles, and may resemble other types of similar outdoor structures like pergolas, ramadas, and pavilions. We’ll go over how to tell the difference between gazebos, pavilions, and pergolas later in this post. While the gazebos we usually think of tend to be wooden and permanent structures, you can purchase portable structures that will allow you to take your cozy outdoor seating area basically anywhere. Take it camping and outfit the gazebo with mosquito netting to enjoy the breeze without dealing with the bugs.

However you like to enjoy the outdoors, we’re sure you can find the perfect gazebo design for you and your family. You may want a gazebo large enough to have a dining table, or maybe a smaller one with benches for reading.

It should really come as no surprise that gazebos are so popular. They’re the perfect way to enjoy the great outdoors, even in the heat or rain.

Gazebo Basics

Materials

Gazebos tend to be made out of wood, vinyl, or aluminum, but if you choose the custom route, you may see steel, wrought iron, concrete, and even stone! Like most structures, if you’re willing to pay for it, you can have your gazebo built out of just about anything.

Wood is the most popular option in North America, partially due to the availability of lumber. Pine and cedar are popular wood specimens used to construct gazebos, and of course, many other types of outdoor structures.

Shapes

Most kits and gazebo plans tend to be hexagonal or octagonal, depending on size, but there are a number of other options for your gazebo, including square, oval, round, and even dodecagonal, which has twelve sides.

Common shapes for gazebos include:

Round

Square

Rectangular

Oval

Hexagonal

Octagonal

Decagonal

Dodecagonal

How much do gazebos cost?

Gazebo kits are available for as low as $500. These are typically pop-up portable units that are great for camping or for homeowners on a budget. Pre-fabricated wooden gazebos can cost a couple thousand dollars depending on size and material.

A nine foot wooden gazebo, for example, will probably run you between $1,500 and $2,500. A vinyl structure of the same size will cost a tad more, around $2,100 to $3,600. You’ll pay more for a vinyl gazebo due to the difference in durability between the two.

Metal gazebos are typically made from affordable aluminum or durable steel, which tends to be more expensive.

There are also some surprise costs associated with building a gazebo. If you want an enclosed gazebo, be prepared to pay more in both materials and labor. You also may need to level your yard or have a concrete slab poured, so the gazebo sits flat on the ground.

It’s important to ensure that the contractor you choose includes the flooring cost in the final price to avoid any large surprise costs.

For a custom gazebo, expect to pay closer to $5,000 to $11,000. Luxury, enormous, high-end gazebos can run you as much as $40,000.

As you start looking at options, remember that if you see a very low price, check the listing, because the listing may only be selling the gazebo canopy.

Location/Setting

Gazebos tend to be placed away from your home and provides you with a different view of your backyard or garden than you get from your main patio area. The best spot to place your new gazebo will depend entirely on your backyard.

Survey your backyard from different angles and ask yourself the following questions:

Do you want a secluded niche or a view of the entire yard?

What kind of sun exposure do you want?

Is the proposed site level and does it have good drainage?

Are there any zoning laws that would effect your structure?

Should it be nearer to the kitchen for easy dining?

Or should it be pool side to provide a shady spot to relax after getting out of the pool?

Answering these questions should give you a basic idea of where you’d best like your gazebo.

Gazebo vs. Pergola vs. Pavilion

As we mentioned earlier, gazebos are very similar to other outdoor structures, namely pergolas and pavilions. Sometimes gazebos may take design elements from the other two to create a hybrid structure, so it’s important to understand the basic features that distinguish the different structures.

Gazebos have a solid roof or canopy along with partial or full walls. They have a wide variety of shapes, although hexagonal and octagonal structures are the most common.

Pavilions are a cross between gazebos and pergolas. They feature a solid roof like a gazebo, but totally open walls. Pavilions tend to be larger than gazebos and pergolas and are popular in public parks.

PergolaPavilionGazebo

Learn more here.

Gazebo Designs & Ideas

Square Gazebos

Square gazebos aren’t always the classic look we think of when someone says “gazebo,” but they are a great small-space substitute for a octagonal or hexagonal gazebo.

This raw wood log cabin style gazebo has an open design that’s perfect for setting a picnic table under.

Learn more here.

While most gazebos are away from the home, this one is elevated to the same level as the deck and serves as a massive covered patio for entertaining and dining.

This gazebo is made from wood and the entrance is covered by beautiful pink flowers. The gazebo is in an open area in a backyard, it adds a nice compliment to the yard.

An outdoor pool built around a wooden gazebo. The gazebo adds extra seating space in this modern backyard environment.

This size gazebo can fit a small wedding party. It’s made of stone and erected in a lush green landscape. The natural, calming environment makes this type of gazebo perfect for weddings.

Another example of a gazebo fit for a wedding. This size can accommodate a larger wedding than the previous picture, but still holds the closeness of a wedding within it’s frame.

A square pergola-style gazebo fitted with sheer curtains and adirondack chairs. The gazebo looks out on the water and embraces a beachy aesthetic.

An eclectic square gazebo with clever details on the roof and a sunburst design on the sides. The structure is a nice spot to rest off the brick pathway.

An Asian-inspired gazebo on the beach surrounded by a makeshift driftwood fence. This is a great spot to sit and watch the sunset before leaving the beach for the night.

A pergola-styled square gazebo. While it has the grid-structure roof, it’s been closed off, making it a gazebo. Sheer curtains add an exotic flair to the structure.

Round and Oval Gazebos

Round and oval gazebos tend to have a more classic look and are great for small areas, as many only have room for a seat or two.

Sometimes called elongated hexagon gazebos, oval gazebos aren’t perfect ovals. However, they are great for keeping that classic gazebo look while gaining the kind of space that rectangular shapes offer.

Learn more here.

Another classic oval gazebo, this time in vinyl. The spaces are screened in to keep bugs out.

Metal

Metal gazebos are typically made out of aluminum, which is nice and light and perfect for portable varieties. More permanent structures may be built out of steel or wrought iron, depending on the style desired.

A tall gable roof in a bright green makes this public gazebo an easy structure to spot from a long ways away. The gazebo is furnished with a picnic table, chairs, and a trash can.

An aluminum gazebo with a canopy top and cushions formed to make a cozy bed-like structure. This gazebo is a luxurious way to relax on the beach and beat the summer heat.

A lovely aluminum gazebo with a canvas canopy. The gazebo is placed over a brick patio and furnished with wicker chairs in a rich chocolate brown.

Open Design Gazebos

Open design gazebos are very similar to pavilions, since they don’t have walls as traditional gazebos do. This makes them perfect for large gatherings, as people can enter and leave freely without creating a traffic jam.

A gazebo with an open design is much like a pavilion, and it’s very easy to maneuver. Open design gazebos are the perfect way to relax with a large number of guests.

A gazebo with an open design is much like a pavilion, and it’s very easy to maneuver. Open design gazebos are great for hosting large parties.

While vines can look a little scraggly at first, when you get your vines fully trained they have an incredible effect.

Hardtop Gazebos

Tradtional gazebos have hard tops, not canvas or fabric, and that makes them suitable as permanent structures that can withstand winter weather.

Another Asian inspired gazebo, this time with a unique roof. The differing colors of shingles and supports draw the eye upwards.

The slight bell curve of this gazebo and large shingles stand out against the wooded backdrop.

A rustic gazebo in the fall. The structure stands on concrete supports, since the landscape isn’t totally flat.

The latticed sides of this gazebo form a kind of screen. The tall gable roof is piled with snow in this stark winter landscape.

A hard top gazebo at the end of a long walkway over the dunes. The gazebo is equipped with a porch swing that looks out over the waves.

Canopy Gazebos

Canopy gazebos have soft tops, which can range from fabric to natural fiber roofs.

A straw-topped gazebo has a uniquely tropical atmosphere and is perfect for tropical themed yards or even resorts.

This screened gazebo is located at the center of a dock above the turquoise waters of this tropical sea.

The breezy white canopy keeps the hot sun off your head, neck, and back while looking fantastic. This gazebo features a deep luxurious couch for relaxing.

This soft-top gazebo features a rustic roof and magenta curtains.

Even a simple canvas canopy is a great way to hide from the hot sun. You’ll typically see canopies like this on portable models.

Screened Gazebos

Screened gazebos are great for keeping bugs out of your relaxation area while still being able to enjoy the weather outside. Unlike enclosed gazebos, you can still feel the breeze in a screened-in gazebo.

Adding screens to your gazebo keeps the bugs out without also keeping out the cool breeze. This is perfect for an elevated treehouse-style gazebo like this one.

Learn more here.

Screened gazebos like this one have the option of curtains for privacy. Much like a tent, this gazebo has fabric “walls.”

This screened gazebo is built off the corner of the main deck and patio area and is the perfect spot to escape into once the bugs start coming out.

Learn more here.

An enormous screened in rectangular gazebo at the end of a gravel and flagstone pathway.